I just recieved this in the box today and it was sold to me as a #163 but I disagree. From what I was able to find it might be #141 or a #152?
I'm trying very very hard to learn all I can about the secret marks and know that this particular denomination has never definitively had a die-hard factual secret mark and the upper right "coffer" has an anomaly that shows up on the different types of papers used by the different printing companies (National & Continental) and wear on the dies and is probably better suited for I.D.-ing that than the actual scott number...I think I understood that correctly?
Any ideas on what this is? I'll do a lerger scan of the upper left hand "coffer" for your scrutiny.

Attached Files:

All your Scott numbers are on White wove paper perf 12.Only the #141 is with a Grill. #152 is without a Grill as is #163

I am unfamiliar with the 'secret marks' nor the specialized U.S. Scott in which more detail paper types seem necessary to be understood to distinguish between the various issue that looks like a minefield tome.

Since the secret mark is not always there, you have to go by the paper that was used.

Scott#152 - the paper used was hard, fairly white, smooth surfaced and of quite uniform thickness. The paper is translucent(light will show through if you hold the stamp toward a light)

Scott#163 - the paper used was hard, translucent and grayish white in color

Scott#189 - the paper was soft, thicker, more coarse and uneven texture and is yellowish in appearance compared to the two above.

Hope this helps.

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Very much actually. I have been studying paper types since I got into the pictorials or maybe earlier actually around about scott #65 or so- and all the varieties and paper types..bla bla.. in short it's nothing short of an education and I ought to get some sort of diploma when I finally get it down (if ever) hahaha... OK back to work now. lol

I realize this thread is a couple of years old, but since it is showing up on the home page I thought I'd give it my two cents worth. I found the easiest way to distinguish the Scott 152 from the 163, which have pretty similar paper types, is by color. The 152 is pale to light orange and the 163 is orange to deep reddish orange. If one has copies of both the difference is quite evident. The other stamp has a discernibly different paper type, the Scott 189. A color guide might be useful here as a scan doesn't always portray the color accurately.

I finally broke down and bought the Brookman references so I have all the info I'll ever need about these! This is a hard one only because of the intermediate issues and then toss in the worn plate theory and one could study this issue forever! Thank you very much. -Jay

I finally broke down and bought the Brookman references so I have all the info I'll ever need about these! This is a hard one only because of the intermediate issues and then toss in the worn plate theory and one could study this issue forever! Thank you very much.

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And that is why lots of collectors do specialize in the bank note issues, because they are very difficult, I was sidetracked, as I was following paper types, it dawned on me that the rushed printing job of 88 face different stamps ( the Departmental stamps ordered, plates made and printed within 3 months ) would have all of the paper types and more plate varieties. I consider the Officials as part of the Bank note issue, as they were printed bt Continental and American BNC.

A color guide might be useful here as a scan doesn't always portray the color accurately.

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Add in the computers, scanners, and monitors don't all display colors the same. My own scanner ( I hate it ) always shows a scan different than the stamp I just scanned.
By the way, the 15 cent stamp that started this discussion looks like soft paper from the one close up of the upper left corner, notice the fibers in the perfs.

I finally broke down and bought the Brookman references so I have all the info I'll ever need about these! This is a hard one only because of the intermediate issues and then toss in the worn plate theory and one could study this issue forever! Thank you very much. -Jay

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LOL After you re-read Brookman a few times, you'll probably have more questions, as I said in an earlier post the large banknotes are difficult, and that is what makes them so interesting.